The Hindu : Prasad won't comment on Gopal detention

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Prasad won't comment on Gopal detention

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 19. The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ravi Shankar Prasad, today refused to comment on the detention of the journalist, Nakkheeran Gopal under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by the Tamil Nadu police, saying ``the question has to be adjudicated in courts''.

Talking to the media here, the Minister said the Centre valued ``complete freedom of the Press'' but he could not react to the incarceration of Mr. Gopal. When it was pointed out that the Centre had termed the detention of the MDMK leader, Vaiko, ``misapplication of the POTA'', Mr. Prasad said that in the case of Mr. Gopal, he could not comment unless ``detailed material'' was available.

Asked whether his Ministry would call for a report from the State Government as Mr. Gopal was the first journalist in Tamil Nadu to become a POTA detenu, he made it clear the Information Ministry had no scope for doing so. Had he been a Law Minister, he could possibly have done it. In any case, the Centre had set up a review committee to look into any misuse of the POTA, Mr. Prasad pointed out. Also, the law incorporated provisions wherein the judge could initiate action in case the prosecuting officers had abused the POTA.

Mediapersons' plea

Later, a group of mediapersons, representing the Chennai Press Club, the Madras Union of Journalists and the Journalists Action Group, presented a memorandum to the Minister, seeking his intervention for the release of Mr. Gopal.

Earlier in the day, a meeting of prominent writers and senior journalists at the Chennai Press Club urged the Tamil Nadu Government to immediately order the release of Mr. Gopal and appealed to the Centre to initiate steps for transfer of all cases relating to him to the CBI.

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